Monday, June 10, 2013

Last surviving German bomber lifted off bottom of the Channel

The World War II Dornier is lifted from the English Channel this evening.
 Photo: IAIN DUNCAN


By Sam Marsden

9:20PM BST 10 Jun 2013


The RAF Museum salvage team had previously been hampered by strong winds, but a window of good weather allowed them to winch the only surviving Dornier Do 17 bomber from the sea bed.

Covered in rust and barnacles, with its propellers broken off, the aircraft was pulled to a barge at about 6.30pm.

The team tried to lift the plane on June 2, but bad weather thwarted the attempt within 40 minutes of success when an increase in winds made the sea too choppy to complete the operation.

The plan, which was three years in the making, was adapted so lifting equipment could be attached to what were believed to be the strongest parts of the aircraft’s frame and raise it whole, instead of constructing a cage around it.

The aircraft at Goodwin Sands was discovered by divers in 2008 at a depth of 50ft on a chalk bed with a small debris field around it.

Sonar scans by the RAF Museum, Wessex Archaeology and the Port of London Authority confirmed the identity of the aircraft as the Dornier Do 17Z Werke number 1160.

None of the bombers, which were nicknamed “flying pencils” because of their narrow fuselage, were thought to have survived since the Second World War.

The aircraft is said to be in “remarkable condition”. Other than the effects of the sea, such as barnacles, coral and marine life, it is largely intact.

The main undercarriage tyres remain inflated but the propellers clearly show the damage inflicted during the bomber’s fateful final landing, experts have said.

Peter Dye, the director general of the RAF Museum, said: “The discovery and recovery of the Dornier is of national and international importance. The aircraft is a unique and unprecedented survivor from the Battle of Britain and the Blitz.

“It will provide an evocative and moving exhibit that will allow the museum to present the wider story of the Battle of Britain and highlight the sacrifices made by the young men of both air forces and from many nations.

“It is a project that has reconciliation and remembrance at its heart.”

The Dornier will be conserved and prepared for display. It will be placed in two hydration tunnels and soaked in citric acid for the first stage of its conservation. Once the delicate process is complete, the aircraft will be displayed at the museum’s London site within the context of the Battle of Britain story.

A grant of more than £345,000 from the National Heritage Memorial Fund, has allowed the work to commence.


Story and Photo:  http://www.telegraph.co.uk



Sonar scans of the last surviving Dornier Do 17.


Monday,  June 10, 2013, 10:56

Historians are attempting to try and lift the only surviving German Second World War from the Sea at Ramsgate.

The aircraft was shot down off the Kent coastmore than 70 years ago during the Battle of Britain and the project is believed to be the biggest recovery of its kind in British waters.

So far attempts by the RAF Museum to raise the relic over the last few weeks have been hit by strong winds but the conditions have now improved.

Museum spokesman Ajay Srivastava said: "The forecast now suggests two weather windows this week when we can return to the wreck site and complete the lift.

These are Monday June 10 between 1530 - 1800hrs and early Tuesday morning between 03.30 - 06.30hrs.

"If this proves to be the case, and we know how erratic the weather has been this year, we will raise the Dornier early this week.''

The team last attempted to lift the aircraft on June 2 but again bad weather thwarted the attempt within 40 minutes of success when a sudden increase in winds made the sea too choppy to complete the lift.

The plan - three years in the making - has been adapted and now involves attaching lifting equipment to what are believed to be the strongest parts of the aircraft's frame and raising it whole, in a single lift instead of constructing a cage around it, which was the original plan.

Peter Dye, director general of the museum, said: "We have adapted the lifting frame design to minimize the loads on the airframe during the lift while allowing the recovery to occur within the limited time remaining.

"The RAF Museum has worked extremely closely with SeaTech (the dive company) throughout this process and both organizations remain determined to complete this challenging task and see the Dornier safely recovered as planned and delivered to the museum's conservation centre for preservation and public exhibition.''

The existence of the aircraft at Goodwin Sands became known when it was spotted by divers in 2008 at a depth of some 50ft lying on a chalk bed with a small debris field around it.

Sonar scans by the RAF Museum, Wessex Archaeology and the Port of London Authority then confirmed the identity of the aircraft as the Dornier Do 17Z Werke number 1160.

Nicknamed the Luftwaffe's ''flying pencil'' bombers because of their narrow fuselage, this aircraft is said to be in ''remarkable condition''.

Experts are excited by the find because other than the effects of sea life, such as barnacles, coral and marine life, it is largely intact.

Amazingly the main undercarriage tyres remain inflated but the propellers clearly show the damage inflicted during the bomber's fateful final landing, experts have said.

Mr Dye added: ''The discovery and recovery of the Dornier is of national and international importance.

''The aircraft is a unique and unprecedented survivor from the Battle of Britain and the Blitz.

''It will provide an evocative and moving exhibit that will allow the museum to present the wider story of the Battle of Britain and highlight the sacrifices made by the young men of both air forces and from many nations.

''It is a project that has reconciliation and remembrance at its heart.''

Once it has been lifted, work will start to conserve and prepare the Dornier for display.

It will be placed in two hydration tunnels and soaked in citric acid for the first stage of its conservation. Once the delicate process is complete, the aircraft will be displayed at the museum's London site within the context of the Battle of Britain story.

A grant of more than £345,000 from the National Heritage Memorial Fund (NHMF), which was set up to save the country's most precious heritage, has allowed the work to commence.

The Dornier Do 17 will join a range of more than 1,200 objects and places which have been safeguarded by the NHMF at a cost of more than £300 million.

These include HMS Caroline, the last surviving First World War ship, a rare collection of work by Second World War codebreaker Alan Turing and HMS Alliance, the last surviving submarine of the Second World War.


Source:  http://www.heart.co.uk

No comments:

Post a Comment